Pakistan refused a request from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use its airspace on a flight to Germany,
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the decision has been made “keeping in view the situation in occupied Kashmir”.
He said the Indian high commissioner in Islamabad had been informed of Pakistan’s decision to not allow Modi’s aeroplane – the VIP jet Air India One – to fly over the country.
Modi is scheduled to leave for the US early Saturday.
The Indian government had formally submitted a request last week for the use of Pakistani airspace following which Pakistan looked into calling a high-level advisory meeting on the matter, according to diplomatic sources.
As per international law, the sources had said, Pakistan is bound to grant permission to the Indian premier. If it is rejected, India can appeal to the International Civil Aviation Organisation as a result of which Pakistan may be required to pay a hefty fine.
Indian carriers usually use Pakistani airspace on all their West-bound flights, but this time special permission has been sought since Pakistan closed its air space amid tensions after India revoked Article 370 of its Constitution.
